“It’s surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth.” – Sir David Attenborough
Geography at our school teaches children about the diverse world we live in, helping them understand about other people and places. Pupils are encouraged to identify their place on a local, regional, national and international scale and understand how they can impact their environment. We aim to enable them to become active and informed participants in the world with the knowledge and understanding necessary to become full participants in an increasingly interconnected world.
Our Geography curriculum centres around topics which explore both human and physical aspects of the world, investigating natural resources, environments and processes. Within these studies, pupils will develop mapwork skills and locational knowledge. Regular opportunities to complete fieldwork allow children to immerse themselves in their surroundings, carefully observing and recording information, before analysing what they have found out.
Children explore enquiry questions which will enable them to ask questions, observe, record and analyse. To develop these skills, our ‘big ideas’ underpin all Geography enquiry: location and place; cause and effect; change; and decision making.
Aims of Geography
- To stimulate learners’ interest in their surroundings and in the variety of human and physical conditions of the earth;
- To develop the skills needed to undertake geographical enquiry, fieldwork and mapwork;
- To develop a sense of responsibility for the care of the earth and its people;
- To develop a sense of identity through learning about the UK and its relationship with other countries.
Early Years
Throughout Early Years children will be given the opportunity to explore and describe their environment from observation, stories and maps. They will find out about similarities and differences between communities within our country; and also compare life in our country and life in other places. They will use simple maps.
Key Stage 1
In Key Stage 1 pupils will begin by studying their local environment, within school and Heddon, identifying human and physical features. They will then look at other areas of the UK before exploring parts of the world. They will locate continents and oceans, and the countries of the UK. Fieldwork will focus on improving a part of the school environment and features of seaside towns, whilst using and making simple maps.
Key Stage 2
Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils will continue to develop a sense of location and place through the study of specific parts of the world, such as the USA and Greece, as well as physical features, like rivers and biomes. They will also look at human aspects of geography when studying how we use natural resources, the development of settlements and economic activity. Mapwork will introduce 4 figure grid references in LKS2 and 6 figure in UKS2, alongside fieldwork projects.
Supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
All children with SEND will have equal access and opportunities within the curriculum. The School will support these children to ‘catch up’, ‘keep up’ and experience success in the following ways (where appropriate):
- High quality teaching each day through Ordinarily Available Provision (formerly Quality First Teaching);
- Opportunities for pre-learning (particularly new vocabulary) before lessons;
- Appropriately scaffolded or differentiated work or materials;
- Classrooms and materials set up to reduce cognitive load and follow dyslexia friendly strategies;
- Children with SEND have a Pupil Passport which identifies approaches and strategies to be used which will help them to succeed;
- For children with Education, Health and Care Plans there may be 1:1 adult support in lessons.
The School recognises that while a child may have additional needs in one area of the curriculum they may well have skills and talents which allow them to shine and be successful in another and this is to be celebrated.